U.S. patent number 9,481,323 [Application Number 12/630,067] was granted by the patent office on 2016-11-01 for flexible interior trim component having a smooth surface.
The grantee listed for this patent is Jason M. Hipshier. Invention is credited to Jason M. Hipshier.
United States Patent |
9,481,323 |
Hipshier |
November 1, 2016 |
Flexible interior trim component having a smooth surface
Abstract
An interior trim component is provided that includes multiple
substantially parallel ribs each configured to engage a track to
facilitate movement of the interior trim component along the track.
The interior trim component also includes a substrate having a
first surface and a second surface. The first surface is coupled to
the ribs, and the second surface is opposite the first surface and
is substantially smooth.
Inventors: |
Hipshier; Jason M.
(Hudsonville, MI) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hipshier; Jason M. |
Hudsonville |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family
ID: |
42222110 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/630,067 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2009 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20100133866 A1 |
Jun 3, 2010 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
61119563 |
Dec 3, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
13/0262 (20130101); B29C 45/1676 (20130101); B29L
2031/3005 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
13/02 (20060101); B29C 45/16 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;296/24.34,37.1,37.8,37.12 ;220/345.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3807880 |
|
Sep 1989 |
|
DE |
|
4010241 |
|
Apr 1991 |
|
DE |
|
4220670 |
|
Jan 1994 |
|
DE |
|
9403833 |
|
May 1994 |
|
DE |
|
4309620 |
|
Sep 1994 |
|
DE |
|
19524177 |
|
Aug 1996 |
|
DE |
|
19646809 |
|
May 1998 |
|
DE |
|
19654246 |
|
Jun 1998 |
|
DE |
|
19822425 |
|
Feb 2000 |
|
DE |
|
19909642 |
|
Apr 2000 |
|
DE |
|
19923512 |
|
Dec 2000 |
|
DE |
|
10023778 |
|
Nov 2001 |
|
DE |
|
202004006649 |
|
Sep 2004 |
|
DE |
|
102005006119 |
|
Aug 2006 |
|
DE |
|
102008018557 |
|
Oct 2009 |
|
DE |
|
102009057783 |
|
Jun 2011 |
|
DE |
|
1600330 |
|
Nov 2005 |
|
EP |
|
1690740 |
|
Aug 2006 |
|
EP |
|
599652 |
|
Mar 1948 |
|
GB |
|
2008064210 |
|
May 2008 |
|
WO |
|
2011069682 |
|
Jun 2011 |
|
WO |
|
2011143467 |
|
Nov 2011 |
|
WO |
|
2012094340 |
|
Jul 2012 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Blankenship; Gregory
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/119,563, entitled "FLEXIBLE
COMPONENT WITH A SMOOTH SURFACE", filed Dec. 3, 2008, which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. An interior trim component, comprising: a plurality of
substantially parallel ribs each configured to engage a track to
facilitate movement of the interior trim component along the track;
and a substrate having a first surface and a second surface,
wherein the first surface is coupled to the plurality of ribs, the
second surface is opposite the first surface, and the second
surface is substantially smooth with dimensional variations of less
than approximately 0.5 mm; wherein each rib is formed from a first
material, and the substrate is formed from a second material,
different than the first material.
2. The interior trim component of claim 1, wherein a thickness of
the substrate is configured to facilitate bending of the interior
trim component in a direction substantially perpendicular to an
orientation of the plurality of substantially parallel ribs.
3. The interior trim component of claim 1, wherein a thickness of
the substrate is greater than approximately 1 mm.
4. The interior trim component of claim 1, wherein the second
material has a hardness of greater than approximately 70 Shore A
Durometer and less than approximately 90 Shore A Durometer.
5. The interior trim component of claim 1, wherein the interior
trim component is configured to substantially enclose a storage
compartment.
6. The interior trim component of claim 1, comprising a handle
integrally coupled to the substrate.
7. The interior trim component of claim 1, comprising a coating
layer disposed on the second surface of the substrate to increase a
smoothness of the second surface.
8. The interior trim component of claim 1, wherein the first
material comprises a thermoplastic polymer, and the second material
comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
9. An interior trim component, comprising: a plurality of
substantially parallel ribs; and a substrate coupled to the
plurality of substantially parallel ribs such that the interior
trim component is capable of bending in a direction substantially
perpendicular to an orientation of the plurality of substantially
parallel ribs, wherein a surface of the substrate nonadjacent to
the plurality of substantially parallel ribs is substantially
smooth with dimensional variations of less than approximately 0.5
mm; wherein each rib is formed from a first material, and the
substrate is formed from a second material, different than the
first material.
10. The interior trim component of claim 9, wherein the interior
trim component forms a tambour door configured to substantially
enclose a storage compartment.
11. The interior trim component of claim 9, comprising a handle
integrally coupled to the substrate.
12. The interior trim component of claim 9, comprising a coating
layer disposed on the substantially smooth surface of the substrate
to increase a smoothness of the substantially smooth surface.
13. The interior trim component of claim 9, wherein each of the
plurality of substantially parallel ribs is configured to engage a
track to facilitate movement of the interior trim component along
the track.
14. The interior trim component of claim 9, wherein the first
material comprises a thermoplastic polymer, and the second material
comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
Description
BACKGROUND
The invention relates generally to a flexible interior trim
component for a vehicle, having a smooth surface.
Vehicle storage compartments may be positioned throughout an
interior of a vehicle to store cargo and other small items. For
example, an overhead console may include a storage compartment
suitable for storing sunglasses, driving glasses, or other items.
Other storage compartments may be located within a center console,
an armrest, seats, door panels, or other areas of the vehicle
interior. Certain storage compartments include a door configured to
secure the contents of the compartment and/or hide the contents
from view.
While a variety of door configurations may be employed, tambour
doors are generally well-suited for storage compartments having
curved openings. Typical tambour doors include a series of
interlocked parallel ribs or segments that may rotate with respect
to one another. In this manner, the tambour door may flex in a
direction perpendicular to the orientation of the parallel
segments. Such a configuration may enable the tambour door to match
the contours of the curved storage compartment opening, thereby
facilitating movement of the tambour door with respect to the
storage compartment opening. To facilitate tambour door segment
rotation, a recess may be positioned adjacent to each segment.
Unfortunately, the recesses may collect dirt and/or other
contaminants, thereby degrading the appearance of the door. In
addition, as the tambour door flexes, adjacent segments may rotate
toward one another, thereby reducing the width of the intervening
recesses. The decreasing width of these recesses may establish
undesirable pinch points between adjacent segments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an interior trim component
including multiple substantially parallel ribs each configured to
engage a track to facilitate movement of the interior trim
component along the track. The interior trim component also
includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface.
The first surface is coupled to the ribs, and the second surface is
opposite the first surface and is substantially smooth.
The present invention also relates to an interior trim component
including multiple substantially parallel ribs. The interior trim
component also includes a substrate coupled to the substantially
parallel ribs such that the interior trim component is capable of
bending in a direction substantially perpendicular to an
orientation of the substantially parallel ribs. A surface of the
substrate nonadjacent to the substantially parallel ribs is
substantially smooth.
The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing
an interior trim component. The method includes injecting a first
resin into a mold having multiple substantially parallel grooves to
form a corresponding set of substantially parallel ribs. The method
also includes injecting a second resin into a cavity positioned
adjacent to the substantially parallel grooves such that the second
resin forms a substrate bonded to the substantially parallel ribs.
A surface of the cavity opposite from the substantially parallel
grooves is substantially smooth to form a substantially smooth
surface of the substrate.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle that may
include one or more storage compartments each having a flexible
door with a substantially smooth show surface.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary center console that
may be located within an interior of the vehicle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the center console of FIG. 2 with a
flexible door in an open position.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary flexible door with a
substantially smooth show surface that may be employed within the
center console of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the
flexible door, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the
flexible door, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary injection molding
process that may be utilized to form the flexible door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle 10, including
an interior 12 having seats 14 and a center console 16. As
discussed in detail below, the center console 16 and/or other areas
within the interior 12 may include a flexible interior trim
component having a smooth surface, such as a flexible door
enclosing a storage compartment. For example, certain storage
compartments may employ a flexible tambour door having multiple
substantially parallel ribs. These ribs may be configured to engage
a track, thereby facilitating movement of the tambour door along an
opening of the storage compartment. The tambour door may also
include a substrate having an interior surface facing an interior
of the storage compartment, and an exterior show surface facing the
interior 12 of the vehicle 10. The interior surface may be coupled
to the substantially parallel ribs such that the tambour door may
flex in a direction perpendicular to the orientation of the
substantially parallel ribs. Such a configuration may enable the
tambour door to match the contours of a curved storage compartment
opening, thereby facilitating movement of the tambour door with
respect to the storage compartment opening. As discussed in detail
below, the exterior show surface of the tambour door may be
substantially smooth, thereby providing a clean appearance within
the vehicle interior 12.
As will be appreciated, typical tambour doors include a series of
interlocked or otherwise joined parallel ribs or segments that may
rotate with respect to one another. To facilitate tambour door
segment rotation, a recess may be positioned adjacent to each
segment. These recesses may collect dirt and/or other contaminants,
thereby degrading the appearance of the door. In addition, as the
tambour door flexes, adjacent segments may rotate toward one
another, thereby reducing the width of the intervening recesses.
The decreasing width of the recesses may establish undesirable
pinch points between adjacent segments. By providing a
substantially smooth show surface, the present embodiments may
eliminate these recesses. As a result, any dirt or other
contaminants which collect on the surface of the tambour door may
be easily removed. In addition, the possibility of pinching between
segments may be substantially reduced or eliminated. Furthermore,
the substantially smooth surface may enable a vehicle occupant to
utilize the tambour door as a writing surface and/or provide a
suitable surface for applying a decoration.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary center console 16 that
may be located within an interior of the vehicle of FIG. 1. As
discussed in detail below, the center console 16 may include a
storage compartment enclosed by a flexible tambour door having a
substantially smooth show surface. As illustrated, the console 16
is coupled to a floor of the vehicle interior 12 between a driver
seat 14 and a passenger seat 14. In the present configuration, the
console 16 is configured to provide a storage area and an armrest
for an occupant of one or both seats 14. The console 16 is
generally prismatic, having a front wall 20, a rear wall 22, two
opposed and generally symmetrical side walls 24 and a top surface
26.
The console 16 also includes two side panels 28 which form the main
body of the console 16. In the present configuration, each side
panel 28 provides one of the side walls 24 of the console 16 and
portions of the rear wall 22, the front wall 20 and the top surface
26. As illustrated, the side walls 24 include a compound-curved
upper contour having both convex and concave portions, thereby
transitioning between the raised rear wall 22 and the lower front
wall 20. The top edges 30 of the side panels 28 form the curved top
surface 26. The top surface 26 includes an opening 32 that enables
an occupant to access an interior of the console 16. In certain
configurations, the console 16 includes a rear panel 34 forming a
portion of the rear wall 22 and/or the top surface 26.
In the present configuration, the console 16 includes a door 36
configured to transition between an open position and the
illustrated closed position. The door 36 includes a handle 40 that
may enable an occupant to slide the door 36 between the two
positions. As discussed in detail below, sliding the door 36 toward
the open position in the direction 42 will expose an interior of a
storage compartment located within the console 16. In certain
configurations, the door 36 is a tambour door having a series of
substantially parallel ribs coupled to a substrate. The ribs are
configured to engage a track within the side walls 24, while the
substrate enables the door 36 to flex and accommodate the contours
of the opening 32. As illustrated, an exterior show surface of the
door 36 is substantially smooth, thereby eliminating the recesses
of typical tambour door configurations. Because the show surface of
the door 36 is substantially smooth, dirt and/or other contaminants
may be removed more easily than configurations employing recesses.
Furthermore, the possibility of pinching between segments may be
substantially reduced or eliminated.
While the present tambour door is described with reference to the
center console 16, it should be appreciated that alternative
embodiments may employ similar tambour doors positioned throughout
the interior 12 of the vehicle 10. For example, a storage
compartment located within an overhead console, door panel,
instrument panel, or other region of the interior 12 may include a
flexible door having a substantially smooth show surface.
Furthermore, other flexible interior trim components, in addition
to the doors described above, may include similar parallel ribs and
a substrate having a smooth show surface. As discussed in detail
below, providing such a smooth show surface may enable a vehicle
occupant to utilize the interior trim component as a writing
surface and/or facilitate application of a decoration to the show
surface.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the center console 16 of FIG. 2
with the flexible door 36 in an open position. As illustrated, the
side walls 24 include rails or tracks 38 configured to facilitate
movement of the door 36 in the direction 42. In certain
configurations, the tracks 38 include a C-shaped cross section, and
may be coupled to the side panels 28 or integrally formed within
the side panels 28. As discussed in detail below, the substantially
parallel ribs of the tambour door 36 include protrusions which
engage the tracks 38 and support the door 36, while the attached
substrate enables the door 36 to flex, thereby accommodating the
contours of the opening 32. As illustrated, transitioning the door
36 to the open position exposes an interior 44 of the storage
compartment within the center console 16.
As will be appreciated, a vehicle occupant may close the door 36 by
grasping the handle 40 and moving the door 36 toward the front wall
20 of the center console 16. Because the surface of the door 36
facing the interior 12 of the vehicle 10 is substantially smooth,
the possibility of being pinched by segments of the door 36 may be
substantially reduced or eliminated. Once in the closed position,
the smooth show surface of the door 36 may provide a suitable
surface for writing and/or storage of small items. In addition, the
show surface may be suitable for apply a decoration to the door 36
to enhance the appearance of the vehicle interior 12.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary flexible door with a
substantially smooth show surface that may be employed within the
center console of FIG. 2. As illustrated, the flexible door 36
includes multiple substantially parallel ribs 46 coupled to a
substrate 48. The ribs 46 are configured to engage the tracks 38 of
the console 16 to support the door 36 and to facilitate movement of
the door 36 across the opening 32. Specifically, the ribs 46
include protrusions 50 configured to interlock with a corresponding
recess within each track 38. As discussed in detail below, the ribs
46 are coupled to a surface of the substrate 48 facing the interior
44 of the console 16, thereby forming a unitary structure. In this
configuration, the door 36 may flex in a direction perpendicular to
the orientation of the substantially parallel ribs 46, thereby
enabling the tambour door to match the contours of a curved storage
compartment opening. Furthermore, the substrate 48 includes a show
surface 52 that provides a smooth, consistent appearance on the
outer surface of the flexible door 36.
As previously discussed, the flexible door 36 includes a handle 40
configured to facilitate movement of the door 36 between the open
and closed positions. As will be appreciated, alternative
embodiments may employ other components (e.g., knobs, recesses,
etc.) in place of the handle 40 to control movement of the door 36.
As discussed in detail below, the door 36 may be formed by an
injection molding process. Therefore, the ribs 46 and/or the
substrate 48 may be composed of any suitable material for injection
molding. For example, the ribs 46 may be composed of a
thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene (PP), while the
substrate 48 may be made from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). It
should be appreciated that the ribs 46 and the substrate 48 may be
composed of other materials suitable for injection molding in
alternative embodiments. In addition, the ribs 46 and/or the
substrate 48 may include a chemical blowing agent and/or any other
suitable additives. Further embodiments may employ other
construction methods such as directly bonding the ribs 46 to the
substrate 48. In such embodiments, other materials such as plastic,
metal, or wood, for example, may be utilized to form the ribs 46
and/or the substrate 48.
In contrast to tambour door configurations having segmented show
surfaces, the flexible door 36 of the present embodiments does not
include separate segments that rotate relative to one another.
Instead, the substrate 48 is flexible, allowing the ribs 46 to move
relative to one another while maintaining a unitary visual
appearance of the flexible door 36. In addition, the show surface
52 of the substrate 48 is substantially smooth, thereby
substantially reducing or eliminating the possibility of
establishing pinch points, and forming a surface suitable for
writing. Furthermore, the smooth surface may be easier to clean
than door configurations having a recess between each segment.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the
flexible door, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4. As illustrated, the
ribs 46 are coupled to a first surface 54 of the substrate 48 which
faces the interior 44 of the console 16. As discussed in detail
below, the door 36 may be formed by an injection molding process.
As will be appreciated, injection molding involves injecting liquid
resin into a mold to form a completed part. In embodiments in which
the door 36 is formed by injection molding, the ribs 46 may be
coupled to the substrate 48 by a melt bonding process.
Specifically, a first resin is injected into the mold to form the
ribs 46. Then, a second resin is injected to form the substrate 48.
Heat from the second resin will cause the ribs 46 to partially
reflow, thereby forming a rigid connection between the ribs 46 and
the substrate 48 as the resins harden. As will be appreciated,
alternative embodiments may employ other coupling mechanisms
between the ribs 46 and the substrate 48.
Furthermore, as illustrated, the handle 40 includes a first layer
56 and a second layer 58. The first layer may be formed during the
injection molding process from the same material which comprises
the ribs 46. For example, the first layer 56 and the ribs 46 may be
formed during injection of the first resin into the mold.
Similarly, the second layer 58 and the substrate 48 may be formed
from the same material during injection of the second resin into
the mold. In this manner, the handle 40 is integrally coupled to
the substrate 48 of the flexible door 36.
A thickness 60 of the substrate 48 may be configured to facilitate
bending of the door 36 in a direction substantially perpendicular
to an orientation of the substantially parallel ribs 46, while
maintaining a substantially smooth show surface 52. As will be
appreciated, temperature variations within the mold may cause
ripples within the substrate 52 corresponding to the spacing
between ribs 46. Consequently, the thickness 60 may be selected to
provide sufficient material between the ribs 46 and the show
surface 52 to compensate for the temperature variation induced
ripples. For example, in certain embodiments, the thickness 60 may
be greater than approximately 1 mm. By way of example, the
thickness 60 may be approximately between 1 to 2, 1.2 to 1.8, 1.4
to 1.6, or about 1.5 mm.
In addition, the substrate 48 may be composed of a material
particularly selected to provide durability, while maintaining the
flexibility of the door 36. As will be appreciated, flexibility and
durability of the substrate 48 may be measured by determining the
hardness of the constituent material. One measure of hardness is
the resistance to indentation, otherwise referred to as Durometer,
denoted in the Shore A scale, for example. Within the Durometer
scale, materials are generally characterized based on ranges. Hard
or rigid elastomers generally include those having a Durometer
greater than about 90 Shore A, soft elastomers generally include
those having a Durometer of about 60 Shore A to about 90 Shore A,
and super-soft elastomers generally include those having a
Durometer below about 60 Shore A. In certain embodiments, the
substrate 48 may be composed of a material having a Durometer of
approximately between 70 to 90 Shore A. Utilizing such a material
may facilitate bending of the door 36 in a direction substantially
perpendicular to an orientation of the substantially parallel ribs
46, while maintaining durability and smoothness of the show surface
52.
The combination of selecting an appropriate thickness 60 to reduce
temperature variation induced ripples and selecting a suitable
material having a desired hardness may establish a substantially
smooth show surface 52. In certain embodiments, smoothness may be
defined by dimensional variations within the show surface 52 of the
substrate 48. For example, dimensional variations within the show
surface 52 may be between approximately 0.5 to 0.01, 0.3 to 0.03,
0.2 to 0.05, or about 0.1 mm. By further example, dimensional
surface variations may be less than approximately 0.5, 0.3, 0.2,
0.1, 0.05, 0.03, or about 0.01 mm. Such a smooth surface 52 may
enhance the appearance of the vehicle interior 12, provide a
surface suitable for writing, and/or facilitate application of a
decoration.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the
flexible tambour door 36, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4. As
illustrated, the flexible door 36 includes an additional coating
layer 62 disposed on the exterior surface 52 of the substrate 48 to
increase a smoothness of the show surface. For example, as
previously discussed, if the door 36 is formed by an injection
molding process, temperature variations within the mold may cause
ripples to form within the substrate 48. In the embodiment
described above with reference to FIG. 5, the thickness 60 of the
substrate 48 is particularly selected to compensate for the
ripples, and to provide a smooth show surface. However, in certain
embodiments, the thickness of the substrate 48 may not be
sufficient to substantially eliminate the ripples between ribs 46.
Consequently, the illustrated embodiment includes the additional
coating layer 62 to fill in recesses within the substrate 48, and
to form a substantially smooth show surface 64.
It should be appreciate that, in various exemplary embodiments, the
additional coating layer 62 may be composed of the same or similar
material as the substrate 48. For example, the coating layer 62 may
be formed from a TPE. In alternative embodiments, the additional
coating layer 62 may be composed of any other suitable material,
such as a clear coat or gel coat, for example. In certain
embodiments, the door 36 may be formed by an injection molding
process. As previously discussed, a first resin may be injected
into a mold to form the ribs 46. Then, a second resin may be
injected to form the substrate 48. In the present embodiment, after
the ribs 46 and substrate 48 have been formed, a third resin may be
injected over the outer surface 52 of the substrate 48 to form the
coating layer 62. As will be appreciated, heat from the third resin
will cause a portion of the substrate 48 to reflow, thereby bonding
the substrate 48 to the coating layer 62 as the resins harden. In
alternative embodiments, the coating layer 62 may be sprayed or
otherwise applied to the substrate 48 to fill in the recesses and
form a substantially smooth show surface 64. In certain
embodiments, the substrate 48 and/or the coating layer 62 may be
composed of a material having sufficient flexibility to
substantially reduce or eliminate the possibility of cracking or
separation of the substrate 48 from the additional coating layer 62
as the door 36 flexes during operation.
It should also be appreciated that the substantially smooth show
surface 52 or 64 of the flexible door 36 may provide additional
aesthetic opportunities, such as, for example, increased ability to
provide decorative images (e.g., through screen printing,
hydrographic printing, etc.) on the flexible door 36. In certain
embodiments, the flexible door 36 may include additional layers
that provide decorative designs and/or textures to the door 36. The
substantially smooth layer 52 or 64 may also provide a suitable
surface for writing on the center console 16, which is conveniently
positioned adjacent to a driver or front passenger.
FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary injection molding
process 66 that may be utilized to form the flexible door 36.
First, as represented by block 68, a first resin is injected into a
mold having multiple substantially parallel grooves to form
corresponding substantially parallel ribs 46. As previously
discussed, the first resin may be a thermoplastic polymer, such as
polypropylene (PP), for example. However, as will be appreciated,
any suitable resin appropriate for injection molding may be
utilized in alternative embodiments. The resin may be selected to
form ribs 46 having sufficient bending resistance to support the
door 36 during operation.
After the first resin has cured and/or hardened, a second resin is
injected into a cavity positioned adjacent to the substantially
parallel grooves such that the second resin forms the substrate 48,
as represented by block 70. As previously discussed, heat from the
second resin will cause the ribs 46 to partially reflow, thereby
forming a rigid connection between the ribs 46 and the substrate 48
as the resins cure and/or harden. In certain embodiments, a surface
of the cavity is substantially smooth to form the substantially
smooth show surface 52 of the substrate 48. The second resin may be
a TPE, or any other suitable resin appropriate for injection
molding. The resin may be selected to form a durable substrate 48,
while maintaining the flexibility of the door 36.
In certain embodiments, the injection molding process 66 may
include the additional step of injecting a third resin within the
cavity adjacent to the exterior surface 52 of the substrate 48 to
form the coating layer 62, as represented by block 72. As
previously discussed, the additional coating layer 62 may fill in
recesses within the substrate 48, and form a substantially smooth
show surface 64. It should be appreciate that, in various exemplary
embodiments, the additional coating layer 62 may be composed of the
same or similar material as the substrate 48. For example, the
coating layer 62 may be formed from a TPE, or any other suitable
material, such as a clear coat or gel coat, for example. It should
also be appreciated that the flexible door 36 having a smooth show
surface may be formed by other construction techniques in
alternative embodiments. Furthermore, while a tambour door 36 is
described above, it should be appreciated that alternative flexible
interior trim components having a smooth show surface may be
utilized throughout the vehicle interior 12.
While only certain features and embodiments of the invention have
been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may
occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in sizes,
dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various
elements, values of parameters (e.g., temperatures, pressures,
etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,
orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel
teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the
claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be
varied or resequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is,
therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended
to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true
spirit of the invention. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a
concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of
an actual implementation may not have been described (i.e., those
unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out
the invention, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed
invention). It should be appreciated that in the development of any
such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design
project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made.
Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but
would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication,
and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of
this disclosure, without undue experimentation.
* * * * *